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PostPosted: Mon May 12, 2014 6:16 am 

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King Romulus Ethret, King of the Kingdom of Dasmul, sat in his throne staring at the front of the room. His chin was rested on the back of his hand while his free hand stroked the dragon’s teeth that made up his necklace, his very symbol of power, looking bored while he waited for his knight to appear. Over an hour has passed since the urgent message went out. One of his best knights was to meet him here, with his best equipment, where he would be given the task of scouting a location where dragons have been spotted. A few years have passed since any dragons were spotted, this was an incredible find. The people that had made the discovery had been rewarded greatly. Now, the excitement had died down, he wanted those teeth. He would have them no matter what it took, at any cost, or so help him.

He was beginning to become impatient; having to wait like this was completely unacceptable. The people he hired to serve him were handpicked. Such incompetence was beyond infuriating, he was going to have to make some changes. He was not looking forward to those changes, and he was sure the kingdom was not either.

The necklace was clutched tighter. Shifting in his seat, King Romulus gave a heavy sigh, his brow furrowing and lips forming a faint frown, feeling his frustration build, which made the servants in the room cringe. Impatience and boredom were not a particularly wonderful combination, and his servants knew this well. They had offered to entertain him in some way. Bring him food, drink, see if they could drag the knight in by their hair, but every suggestion was turned down. The king was a very stubborn man, and when he wanted something that was all he set his mind on. He was normally someone who was easily entertained. He especially liked when the jesters injured one another, but even that did not assuage his frustration. When he turned everything down, they knew he was either very focused or extremely **** off. It was the latter, in this particular situation.

The look on Romulus’s face said it all, if his body language combined with the atmosphere in the room was not enough of an obvious sign. He was sure to take someone’s head off soon if the knight did not come. He did have a very strong tendency to be violent when things didn’t go his way. Sometimes, he was like a child throwing a tantrum. Every now and then, he’d glance at his sword, which was lying against his throne. His servants would tense up, expecting him to suddenly grab it and behead the nearest person. They could all picture it as if it was happening. It was not a pretty sight; naturally, anyone would be terrified of a king willing to take his anger out on his own men. It was needless to say that Romulus was getting closer and closer to that point. This was outright unbearable; it was giving him a pounding headache.

When he finally heard word that the knight he summoned was arriving, he felt relieved. He relaxed in his throne. His servants relaxed as well, knowing they would keep their heads a little longer.

The knight was clad in his best armor, as instructed. He carried a broadsword in an expensive sheath made of the finest leather. When he stood before the king, he kneeled, “My apologies for being late, my liege.” His tone was sincere. Something about it didn’t sit well with Romulus.

“Sir Aldrick… Why are you so late?”

Aldrick winced at the displeased growl in the King’s tone. “I had something I had to tend to. Family business.” He said, trying to redeem himself and keeping his composure as best he could. He was fairly new to the ranks of the knights that serve the kingdom, but he knew his place, and knew that the king could be a very volatile man. It was something that he secretly feared, though Romulus knew it was no secret. He knew the look of fear when he saw it. No matter how hard one tried to hide it, it was almost like a sixth sense, he was able to catch even the smallest traces of it. It came from years of ruling people through fear. Fear was power. The more someone feared another person, the more power that person had over them. It was the most brilliant strategy.

Fear aside, Aldrick was a very trustworthy man. He always aimed to please. Romulus believed him to be telling the truth, seeing no reason to think otherwise.

“I see. Well then, you’re lucky you have arrived when you did. I was about to send someone to come look for you. Let’s just get down to business then.”

“Aye. So, these dragons are hiding out in the mountains, you say? Which range? North or South?”

“North, naturally. They always seem to cling to the North for some reason.” The king stood from his throne and gestured one of his servants to approach. The servant reached into his satchel and pulled out a map, which was then handed to the king. “Ths map contains every location dragons have been spotted. Study it well. Should you return empty handed…” the king paused, and grinned widely. “Well, let’s just say it’s in your best interest not to displease me. I pick you for this assignment for a reason. Do remember that.”

“Understood, my liege.”

“And when you return, Aldrick, you will receive a piece of my finest treasure.”

“You’re too generous.”

“Trust me. Dragons are valuable, and such a find warrants a great reward.”

“Understood, my liege. I shall return as soon as possible, with dragon teeth in hand.”

With that, Romulus saw Aldrick off, hoping that he’d come back with a dead dragon or two. He could already feel the power he’d gain from those teeth, unable to contain his energy. Imagine what power they would hold. He was already powerful enough with the necklace he had.

A few hours later…

It was late in the afternoon by the time Aldrick had made his way to the mountain range. The sun would set in a few hours. Hardly any animals were about. Usually, they would keep hidden, especially when they knew they were being hunted, and the ones that did not hide were usually the ones that could take a human easily.

After trudging up this steep hill, he was starting to feel a little fatigued. Most of his supplies have already been depleted. Who would have thought that the mountains were the huge? He would need to find some shelter, spend the night out here in the wilderness; some rest was needed before he continued on. He didn’t mind, it was quiet here at least, unlike back home, he didn’t have to deal with anyone. It was just him and this mountain range, as far as he was concerned. Solitude was something that he enjoyed from time to time. It really took the edge off of his usual day. This was his first time being up here, as well. First times were always a treat, at least that’s what he thought anyway. There were plenty who would disagree. This was a job, not a vacation; he was to keep his mind set on it at all costs.

Aldrick was indeed keeping his mind set. He had a lot of motivation, especially coming from his family back home. Not to mention he had been handpicked by the king for a reason. He was good at his job, always on his feet. Not once did not let his guard down while he was gathering things to make a fire, it was far too quiet out here. It almost seemed like unnatural quiet. He knew there were dragons lurking somewhere, though he has yet to see one, he could almost feel their eyes upon him. There was no doubt in his mind they were just waiting for the chance to strike. He has never faced a dragon before but he has heard stories of them. They were dastardly beasts, cunning, too. They were masters of disguise, and skilled hunters, all traits of a foe that was not to be taken lightly, no matter how few of them remain today.

When Aldrick stepped over a log, he failed to see the small wire tied to it. As soon as his foot caught it, the next thing he knew he was suspended in the air by his ankle. Immediately, he tried to reach for his dagger, which was usually tucked into a holster in his boot. Unfortunately it was just out of his reach, no matter how much he stretched to get it. He could touch his boot, but the knife was tucked too far in for him to grab it. That would be just his luck, he thought to himself.

To make matters worse, he heard something coming his way. There was a bit of rustling in the foliage. Seeing how everything has been quiet thus far, it was odd. He held his breath for a moment, listening in to his surroundings. Oh yeah. There was definitely something coming. It was getting louder, the more he listened the more he really hoped it was just some small animal. He looked at his foot again, furrowing his brow while he came up with how he was going to get out of this mess. He thought of swinging, but, with the way he was hanging, he couldn’t get enough momentum. Calling out for help was out of the question as well, as it would draw attention. He was sure that nobody else was hiking out here. In the end, he decided to try reaching for his knife again. There was no way he was spending the night like this.

Aldrick took in a deep breath, and then, using all of his strength, tried again to reach for his dagger, hoping whatever was there would just move along. The last thing he needed was wolves or a bear snapping at him.

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PostThis post was deleted by Sound of Silence on Sat Aug 09, 2014 9:23 am.
Reason: opening thread for someone to grab
PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 10:58 pm 
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Fear. The delicious smell of panic, the sweat and heat radiating from the body, the wide-eyed face, that initial cry of shock. Then the running, almost always the running came next, yes. The feeling of power that filled the hunter as its prey darted wildly through overgrown grass and over rocky crags, desperate in its attempt to be rid of its pursuer. No distractions would cross its mind, its primal urges screaming nothing but survival. Just the presence of the hunter was enough to spur the prey into a frenzy.

The mountain goat flitted around rocky boulders and down short cliffs, trying every slight overhang on its course in an attempt to find cover. But its hunter was quick and cunning, his muscles strong and his reflexes sharp, his yellow eyes scanning and tracking as it bounded over stones and around trees, fast on the tail of his target. His serpentine tail whipped viciously behind him, at times streaming around corners and others poised skyward, maintaining precise balance so as not to let the creature lose its swift and hurried footing in the rocky terrain.

The panicked goat made a sudden right turn, and the beast at its rear veered sharply to match. The corner revealed a large grassy plateau, peppered with small boulders and a sheer drop on one side and a towering mountain cliff face on the other. Ahead, a tight path continued onward, one that the starving dragon was determined not to let the boulder-hopper reach. The goat, however, had seen the same passage, and made a wild sprint for it.

The dragon reared up momentarily on its hind legs and lunged forward again, expelling a gout of burning flames from its maw, aimed directly in the course of his prey. The wild grass carpeting the entrance to the pass ignited brilliantly, but the goat was too near and going to fast to adjust course and with expert timing sprung over the wall of fire and scrambled into the tight opening. Undaunted, the wyrm chased after it, crawling over the boulders lining the winding way and following the goat as in pranced beneath him. The beast's mighty jaws snapped down at his prey every chance he got, but the goat was using its smaller size to its advantage, forcing the hunter to remain above until it emerged.

Suddenly, the opening of a small tunnel opened adjacent, and two small flashes of white fur joined the goat, sprinting and bouncing alongside the animal. The dragon slowed his pursuit, and then paused, just as the boulders entered another clearing. The wyvern hesitated for a long moment as he watched the goat and its young dash away, and the growling in his stomach reminded him what a fool he was being.

Resigning himself to the abandoned chase, the dragon lowered himself into the small landing that he had come upon. He took stock: an empty stomach that hadn't seen food in three days; a fire bladder than had just been released in futility; and a clipped left wing, the leathery skin hanging in tatters that would keep him grounded for a few weeks. Food was hard enough to find near the dragon nests as it was-- most animals were smart enough to keep away from predators. Those that remained were snatched up by dragons who could take to the skies, and hunt better than he could.

So why had he let the goats escape? Surely with his luck, the dragon had every reason to pounce on that opportunity. A hundred meters or so, and he could have had the goat for sure, with a couple more he could have saved for leftovers, if he was quick enough. If that was so, why did he let them go? The beast knew why, and he already hated himself for it. He was too soft, too compassionate. It was an old trait among dragons, back when times were easy and food wasn't hard to come by, back when they were threatened by no one, and had no reason not to trust.

But nowadays times were tough, ever since the humans decided that dragons were more valuable dead than alive. For years now they had been sending agents and parties into the mountains to slay his kind, uncaring of the peaceful history between the two great inhabitants of the land. Dozens of dragons had been murdered, left to rot in the hills, and it was not just once that he had stumbled upon the corpse of one of his kin, its teeth wrenched from its jaw.

Those teeth.

The dragon puffed smoke in disgust. It was obvious that it was the blighted humans' discovery of the healing powers of dragon teeth that ignited this wave of violence. One of his kind had been gracious enough to heal a human of his wounds, thus saving his life, and in return all that the dragons received were to be tracked down and killed so they could harvest these valuable fangs from the bodies of his kin. How ironic it was that humans were bringing death so they could obtain that which brought healing and life.

Such was the fate of the dragon's broodmother. Dragons were largely independent creatures, and seldom convened with each other except when the need arose or for mating. They preferred to hunt in their own territories, unchallenged by their brethren. Still, it was not hard to notice when one's neighbor disappeared from the skies of his land, and in recent months and years the skies had grown quite still and empty. Neighbors were the closest thing to families dragons had, and he could not bring himself to dismantle the family of the goat as the humans had done his.

Even then, the threatening sensation of impending doom loomed heavily in the dragon's mind, further cemented by the fact that other dragons had begun hunting in his lands ever since he injured his wing. Did they already count him among the dead?

As the dragon pondered this, he sauntered along absently on the path the goat had tread through the tall grass.

In a different clearing, where hung a knight by his ankle, the foliage rustled ever more furiously as whatever was concealed within drew closer. As the warrior struggled for his blade, the thrashing vegetation led straight for him, until at last the bushes exploded outwards three goats, sprinting as fast as they could. They quickly closed on where the knight hung-- and passed him without a glance. Of course the rock-hoppers were herbivores, and meant the human no harm. In fact, it was quite apparent they were trying to escape some form of harm themselves.

As the knight swayed gently and helplessly by his foot, the stony mountain woods held an air of silent tension. No birds sung, the insects rattled or chirped, and the only real sound was the crisp creaking of the wire the held the unfortunate man.

Then off in the distance, the rustling of the foliage began again. This time it was slower, more calm and controlled, but bigger. Definitely bigger. It seemed as if the entire hillside was descending on the knight's position, and stems and stalks groaned and snapped under the weight of the oncoming visitor. Several long moments hosted an increasing racket, the swishing of branches and leaves nearing the small landing where the knight hung.

A horned, serpentine head broke free of the greenery, and immediately locked its yellow eyes on the dangling human. It continued out of the bush and circled the warrior, its head and eyes still aimed at the trapped victim. The dragon's 30-foot long body swirled around the scene, displaying powerful legs and greenish-brown scales. Small spines jutted like a ridge on each of the wyrm's vertebrae, and terminated in the tip of the tail which was tipped like a bony spear. His wings were mounted with powerful muscles to his back, and thin spiny bone crept down the length of the wings, giving stability and structure to the large expanse of leathery black skin that would catch the wind in flight. The dragon's left wing, however, seemed torn in some sort of injury, which might explain why such a magnificent creature was skulking through the grass. It was clear from his size that the dragon was still a juvenile, or perhaps a young adult, though it was just as clear that this creature was quite dangerous, and would be more than capable of snatching up a few humans and flame-roasting them for a meal.

After a few laps around the knight's predicament, the wyvern paused in front of him, so that he could consider the situation he was in. The dragon was quite pleased with his luck. Hunger still ached his belly, and he could not produce any more of his fire until he had eaten enough to replenish his strength. The sensible thing would be to devour him immediately. Though, the sight of seeing a human in a trap no doubt set by another human tickled him greatly. The human's wiles had backfired on them quite deliciously!

Unable to contain himself, the dragon let loose a low, rumbling chuckle.

"Well, human, quite a mess you've walked into, hmm?" the dragon teased with a bellowing voice. It was then the dragon took notice of the man's attire: a fine suit of armor and a sword lying nearby. A warrior, no doubt sent to slay more of his kind in cold blood. Anger bubbled inside the dragon's throat. If it was not for his depleted fire bladder, this would have been enough to send smoke streaming from his nostrils. With eyes gleaming, the dragon uttered his challenge.

"What is your purpose for venturing into my mountains, warrior....?"


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2014 6:13 am 

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There was a first time for everything, as they say. Aldrick thought as he swayed in the air.

Of all the years he has been a knight, this was the first time he had been caught in a trap and this was, needless to say, not a position he wanted to be in. This was awful. No, this was more than just awful. This situation royally sucked in so many ways. His legs were beginning to feel numb already, even though it hadn’t felt like he had been here for long. He had wasted a lot of his energy trying to reach for his knife. Taking another moment to take in his surroundings, he noticed that whatever was there was drawing closer.

As soon as he the dragon landed before him, he glowered. “Perhaps, perhaps not,” he said, returning the challenge. He wondered if the dragon was waiting for him to become too exhausted, or lightheaded considering his… situation, to fight back before he decided to make him his snack, while taunting him with questions.

It was such an obvious answer. Of course he was here for the teeth. Why else would he be around these parts? Aldrick couldn’t help but scoff. If he had been more vigilant and wasn’t dangling by his ankle, this situation would be going a lot differently. The dragon, which he admitted was young but still a very nice find, seeing as dragons were uncommon, would be eating Aldrick’s sword for dinner and that would be the end of it. The teeth would be brought back to the king, he’d be rewarded, and then he’d probably return the next day hunting for another dragon.

“I don’t suppose it was the likes of you who had set this trap, was it?” Aldrick snorted. “You think you’re funny, don’t you, you foul monster?” He was genuinely curious if that had been the case, going back to the dragon waiting around to make a snack out of him. If dragons were able to set traps then this would be an even greater discovery. With this news, he was sure to be rewarded double. Of course, it would also mean that the king would be pushing to have his soldiers trained to accommodate whatever counteraction he took against this as well.

Such was the life of a knight. A life he was completely devoted to, and would never turn away from. Turning away from this life meant turning away from the king, and turning away from the king meant death.

Aldrick exhaled through his nose and glanced at his boot. This situation was outright embarrassing. If he could reach his dagger and cut himself free… Making an attempt to reach for it again was very tempting. However, he wasn’t going to give the dragon the satisfaction of watching him struggle.

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